President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto in a primary school classroom on Tuesday. [Photo/ PSCU]
By PSCU
The Jubilee Administration has made great strides towards delivering its laptop promise with 17,000 schools already supplied with the digital learning devices countrywide.
The digital learning curriculum for pupils in class one and two has also kicked off in earnest in the schools that have received the digital devices with 992,073 devices distributed and over 95,000 teachers trained across the nation.
Two assembling plants have also been set up at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and at Moi University to speed up production of the devices that support the Jubilee Government’s Digital Literacy Programme that is geared towards equipping Kenyans with globally competitive skills at an early age.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was leading Jubilee campaigns in Machakos County on Tuesday, visited Kathithyamaa Primary in Kangundo to inspect the progress of the Digital Literacy Programme as well as the state of infrastructure in the school.
The President assured that his administration will continue providing facilities to boost the quality of education in the country.
“We will continue supporting the digital learning programme until all the 23,951 public primary schools are supplied with the devices. Digital content for class one and two has already been developed and pupils are accessing it through the devices,” President Kenyatta said.
He said all primary schools are also currently being connected to the fibre optic cable to ensure internet connectivity that will boost the Digital Literacy Programme.
"We are introducing a world class delivery of education that ensures our children are connected to the world and are able to remain competitive at the global stage," President Kenyatta said.
The President pointed out that the digital literacy programme and other transformational projects that have direct benefit to the people are the reason why he is seeking a second term to continue implementing them.
In Machakos County, 25,731 digital learning devices have been delivered in 609 primary schools with infrastructure set up in 829 primary schools in readiness for the programme at a cost of Kshs 49.7 million as well as 2,490 teachers trained.
To boost the Digital Literacy Programme in Machakos County, the national Government has made new electricity connections to 505 primary schools.
President Kenyatta took issue with the opposition’s promise to stop the digital learning programme started by Jubilee and to replace it with books sourced through donations, saying the move is misplaced as it drags the country backwards.
"When we are supplying school children with digital learning devices he is saying that he will suspend that and instead look for book donations for our children. This is not a country to beg for donations," said the President.
The President said his administration has consistently undertaken reforms in the education sector over the last four years, which will see Kenyans enjoy free secondary education beginning next year.
"In the first year we increased capitation, in the second year we started connecting all schools to electricity, in the third year we started free exams and in this fourth year we have started the expansion of school infrastructure. Next year we will start free secondary education," said the President.
President Kenyatta was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto and a host of Ukambani leaders.We will continue supporting the digital learning programme until all the 23,951 public primary schools are supplied with the devices. Digital content for class one and two has already been developed and pupils are accessing it through the devices.